Compressor



July 27 ,1926.

.J. G. DE REMER COMPRES SOR 1ed Sept. 30 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 27 ,1926; 1,594,092

J. 6. DE REMER' COMPRESSOR Filed Sept. 30 191 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 u'nllllllulln "I" ous uses, either as a Patented July 27, 1926,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAY GRANT DE GREEL, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OECOLUMBIA.

COMPRESSOR.

Application filed September so, 1918.. Q Serial No. 256,259.

relates to improve compressors of the bodies of fluid to be compressed are imprisoned between bodies of compressor liquid.

More particularly provement upon the apparatus shown in an earlier application, Serial No. 212,113,.filed January 16th, 1918, the object being to provide a design which will be more symmetri cal and be more compact and of less weight than the forms shown in said application. The above mentioned application matured into Patent #1,373,174 dated March29th, 1921. divisional application Serial #343,471 was filed December 9, 1919, and matured into Patent No. 1,373,17 5 dated March 29th, 1921. Application for re-issue for both of the above named patents was filed March 23, 1923, and they were then reissued as Patents No. 15,590 and 15,591 respectively of May 1, 1923.

While the invention is applicable to variuum pump. it will be hereinafter described as applied to compressing air.

In the accompanying drawing 2- Figure 1 is a view, in partial section, of an air compressor constructed in accordance with the present inventioni Figure 2 is a sectional view through the spherical container, substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view, substantially.

on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;-

Figure {l is a view of the impeller detached from the compressor chamber; Figure 5 is a side elevation, scale, of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings the apparatus comprises a spherical container A which is provided with hollow, diametrically oppositely arranged, trunnions A, A which extend into chambers formed in suitable stand ards, B, B rising from a base-B. The trunnions are provided with extensions a, (1. which are supported by ball bearings provided on said'standards; and one of which has secured on its outer end a pulley, or driving wheel, A by'which it may be'connected with any suitable sources of power so that the container A may be rotated at the desired speed.

The container is on a smaller to be rotated at such a the invention is an im-- fluid compressor or vacfor example water or mercury, placed therein will be caused to form a hollow cylinder coaxial with the bearings of the container A. The fluid to be compressed, for example air, is admitted to the interior of said hollow liquid cylinder through ports at, (1?, a, arranged at substantially diametrically opposite points in the wall of the container A, and tubes F.

Mounted in suitable bearings,- diametrically opposite recesses in the wall of the container, is the shaft D of an impeller which comprises, in addition to said shaft, three disks H, H, H and a series of spiral vanes 1, arranged on opposite sides of the intermediate disk to and to the disks H, H firmly connected together, and to a hub G secured to the shaft D so that the impeller structure, as a whole, is bodily removable from the container A, which as shown is formed of two hemispherical sections suitably secured together.

Apertures h areformed through the central disk H faces of said disk may be the same; and the disks H, H are provided with relatively large central apertures from which project guide tubes J, that extend outward into the body of compressor liquid, when the apparatus is in operation, and act to conduct such liquid from the exterior to the interior of the impeller, as represented by the arrows in Figure 3.

. These parts are Means are provided for rotating the impeller about the axis of the shaft D while it is rotating with the spherical container A, so that the spiral vanes thereof will operate to successively imprison separate bodies of the fluid to be compressed between bodies of the compressor liquid and guide the same radially outward from the shaft D to the periphery of the impeller.

The inner diameter of the space enclosed by the vanes I is approximately one half that of the spherical container while the arranged in- H, and connected there-' so that the pressure on opposite nnivrnn, on NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR To EDWIN J.

spherical container is rotated rotation will be imparted to the shaft D and parts secured thereon.

The trunnions A, A are-provided with suitable openings which communicate with the chambers in the standards B, B into which said trunnions extend. The inner end of the trunnion A is closed by a partition plate M, while the trunnion A is in constant communication with the interior of the spherical container and serves as an outlet for the compressed fluid. A conduit N is provided for conducting the compressed fluid to any suitable reservoir or place where it is to be used.

A pipe P communicating with the chamher in the trunnion B may be used to admit the desired quantity of compressor liquid, said liquid being conducted by a conduit Q extending into the hollow trunnion A to a point in the container relatively remote from the axis of rotation thereof.

A cover T is preferably placed over the rotating container A and a suitable casing extends between the standards B and B the air to be compressed being admitted through an inlet R in the standard B In operation a suitable quantity of compressor liquid C, for example water or mercury, is admitted to the spherical container A and the latter is rotated so that said liquid is caused to form a hollow cylindrical body, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. It will be seen that as the impeller is rotated by engage {ment of the pinion L with the disk H the liquid will be caused to travel outward between the vanes and discharged into the container at the two positions perpendicular to both the axis of the container and of the shaft. That is the liquid will be caused to circulate in a path represented by the ar rows in Figure 3, while it is being also rotated about the axis of the trunnions A, A Such rotation of the impeller will also cause the vane I thereof to move through the wall of the liquid cylinderwithin the container A so as to imprison definite quantities of the fluid to be compressed (which is constantly supplied through the inlet R, ports a, a a and tubes F) between rnasses of the compressor liquid and such compressed fluid will be discharged from between the vanes' adjacent the trunnions A, A and flow through the trunnion A to the pipe or conduit N. That is, the fluid which is delivered 7 into the interior of the liquid cylinder will be conducted from the interior to the exterior of said cylinder along a path parallel with the axis of said liquid cylinder, being discharged at the ends of the cylinden,

If desired in compressing air, using water as the compressor liquid, a continuous supply of water may be provided through the pipe P, trunnion A and pipe Q to replace any that may be carried away by evaporation and to also serve as a cooling medium, so that the compression may be accomplished approximately isothermally. The I liquid could be discharged out through the tube F,'so as to maintain a constant level within the container, and means may be provided outside of the ports a a (i to use the energy-of the water thusescaping from the container.

As the two axes of rotation, that of the trunnions for the. spherical container and that of the shaft D are nearly perpendicular to each other, the result will be to produce gyroscopic effects of a decided nature. Such effects are proportional to the products of the two angular velocities and to the moment of inertia of the rotating impeller. The gyroscopic force acts in a direction perpendicular to the shaft D and in the plane of the shaft D and the sphere axis coincident therewith. That is, it is in a direction to bring shaft D into line with trunnions A, A of the rotation axis of the spherical container.

By arranging the shaft D in a position slightly out of perpendicular to the rotating axis of the container 'A, it is possible to bring into play a for'ce acting opposite to the above-described gyroscopic force. This is'the centrifugal force due to the mass of the shaft ends D and the ends j of the tubes J. A component of this force acts tangentially, tending to place the shaft D in a plane perpendicularito the rotation axis of the spherical container.

By suitably adding to the mass of the shaft ends D and the conical, liquid guide, tubes J, the proper compensating centrifugal force can be obtained to exactly neutralize the gyroscopic force referred to, and 1 thus relieve the bearings of the shaft D of all stresses except those of simple mechanical support.

As the gyroscopic force varies with the product of the two angular velocities, and 119 as this product varies as the square of the angular velocity of the sphere, it will be seen that the balance once obtained will be true for all speeds, as the centrifugal force also varies with the square of the angular velocity of the spherical container.

It is thought that the invention and the advantages thereof will be readily understood from the foregoing description in connection with the drawings. While the latter show one embod ment of the invention. it is understood that there may be considerable variation from the details shown without departing from the scope of the invention. In the drawing also some of the parts are shown more or less diagrammatically.

, Having thus described the inventionwhat is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 4

1. In combination, a vessel adapted to 139 .liquid, means contain a rotating body of liquid, and rotating means adapted to convey aless dense fluid from one portion to another of the said contained liquid, the said rotating means being adapted to turn about the axis of rotation of the liquid body and also about a second axis that extends at an angle to the axis of the liquid body, whereby centrifugal force is utilized to counteract the gyroscopic reaction of the said rotating means.

2. In a fluid compressor, the combination of means for rotating a body of compressor for admitting fluid to be compressed to the interior of" said body of liquid, and a plurality of'spiral vanes supported to move about an axis that extends at an'angle to the axis of the liquid body and to pass through said body, adapted to guide the fluid from the interior of the liquid body to the exterior thereof in a series of separate bodies.

3. In a fluid compressor, the combination of a container, means for rotating said con tainer to cause a body of compressor liquid therein to assume the form of a hollow cylinder, means for admitting fluid to be compressed to the interior of said liquid cylinder, and means, rotatable about an axis that extends at an angle to the axis of rotation of the liquid cylinder, to force the fluid liquid and to be compressed to the ends thereof in a series of bodies separated by masses of com-- tween bodies of said liquid while guiding pressor liquid.

4. In a fluid compressor, the combination of a container, means for rotating said container to cause a body of compressor liquid therein to assume the form of a hollow cylinder, means for admitting fluid to be compressed to the interior of said liquid cylinder, and a plurality of spiral vanes rotatable about an axis that extends at an angle to the axisof rotation of the sphere and passing through the walls of said liquid cylinder, whereby the fluid will be conducted from the interior of said cylinder to the ends thereof in a series of bodies separated by masses of the compressor liquid.

5. In a fluid compressor, the combination of means for rotating a body of compressor liquid in the form of a hollow cylinder, means for admitting fluid to be compressed to the interior of said cylinder, an impeller rotatable about an axis that extends at an angle to the axis of the compressor is adapted to guide the fluid of the liquid cylinder to the ends thereof in a series of bodies separated by masses of the compressor liquid, and means for imparting rotation to the impeller from the liquid rotating means.

'6. In a fluid compressor, the combinat on of a rotary container, an impeller carried by the container and rotatable about an axis that extends at an angle to the rotation from the interior tralizing the gyroscoplc reaction of the impeller.

. 7. In a fluid compressor, the combination ot a rotary container, a body of compressor liquid therein, means for admitting fluid to be compressed to the container, an impeller carried by the container and rotatable about an axis that extendsat an angle to the axis of rotation of the container, and

means for utilizing centrifugal force. to balance the gyroscopic reaction of the impeller.

8. In a fluid compressor, the combination of means for establishing and locating a hollow cylindrical body of compressor liquid, means for admitting fluid to be compressed to the interior of said cylindrical body, an

impeller adapted to act on said fluid, means for rotating the impeller about an axis .that extends at an angle of the compressor liquid, and means for balancing the gyroscopic reaction of the impeller.

9. In 'a fluid compressor, the combination.

of means for establishing a rotating hollow cylindrical body of compressor liquid, means for admitting fluid to be compressed to the.

interior of said cylindrical body, an impeller adapted to turn about an axis that extends at an angle to the axis of rotation of the cylindrical body of liquid and to imprison separate bodies of said fluidrbethem outwardly from the axis of the imto the axis of rotation peller, and means for returning liquid to the interior of the impeller.

10. In a fluid compressor, the combination of a container, means for rotating said con-' tainer to provide a hollow cylindrical body of compressor liquid therein, a shaft mounted in diametrically opposite hearings in said container and extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the container, means for conducting fluid to be compressed to the interior of the liquid cylinder, an impeller secured to the shaft and adapted to imprison tween bodies of the compressor liquid while guiding them radially outward from the shaft, and means on the impeller for returning liquid to the interior thereof.

11. In a fluid compressor, the combination of means for establishing and rotating a hollow cylinder of compressor liquid, means for conducting fluid to be compressed to the interior of said cylinder, prising a shaft extending at an angle to the axis of rotation of the liquid cylinder, two disks mounted on said shaft and a series of spiral vanes extending between said disks, means for rotating the impeller to cause said vanes to pass through the wall of the liquid cylinder and imprison bodies of fluid to be compressed between bodies of said bodies of said fluid bean impeller como liquid, and means for conducting liquid from the exterior of the impeller to the interior thereof.

12. In a fluid compressor, the combination of means for establishing and rotating a hollow cylinder of compressor liquid, means for conducting fluid to be compressed to the interior of said cylinder, an impeller comprising a shaft extending at an angle to the axis of rotation of the liquid cylinder, two disks mounted on said shaft and a series of spiral vanes extending between said disks, means for rotating the impeller to cause said vanes to pass through the wall of the liquid cylinder and imprison bodies of fluid to be compressed between bodies of said liquid, and tubular guides extending from the disks of the impeller about the shaft thereof for conducting liquid from the exterior of the impeller to the interior thereof.

13. In a fluid compressor, the combination of means forestablishing and rotating a hollow cylinder of compressor liquid, means for conducting fluid to be compressed to the interior of said cylinder, an impeller rotatable about an-axis that extends at an angle to the axis of rotation of the liquid cylinder, and adapted to imprison bodies of fluid between bodies of compressor liquid as they are moved to the ends of the liquid cylinder, the

eeaoea axis of said impeller. being slightly at one sideof a perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the compressor liquid, whereby the action of centrifugal force on the impeller will counteract the gyroscopic reaction thereof.

14. In a fluid compressor, the combination of means for establishing a rotating hollow cylinder of compressor liquid, means for conducting fluid to be compressed to the interior of said cylinder, an impeller rotatable about an axis extending at an angle tothe axis of rotation of the liquid cylinder and adapted to imprison bodies of fluid be tween bodies of compressor liquids as they are moved outward, means for driving the impeller from the liquid rotating means, and tubes projecting from the impeller concentric with the axis thereof for conducting liquid from the exterior to the interior of the impeller. said axis of the impeller being slightly out of perpendicular with the axis of rotation of the compressor liquid and the outer ends of said tubes being so proportioned that centrifugal force will act to counterbalance the gyroscopic reaction of the impeller.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature,

- JAY GRANT DE REMER. 

